Refreshing Others

Blessed are those who thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  ~Matthew 5:6

I just finished my latest illustration for my friend's birthday.  It is a theme that I've been pondering since back in February thanks to several of Karla Dornacher's posts.  And as 12 of us sat feasting together in honor of my friend's birthday, I was thinking what a great blessing it is that God uses ordinary people to bless us and fill us with His message of love and hope.  This has been further reinforced by all the encouraging blogs and blogging friends I have met in only the few short months I've been blogging here.

And as I tried to say in my poem, God can use you, wherever you are, at whatever stage of your faith, even in your brokenness (perhaps because of your brokenness) to refresh and bring hope to others.  As the Apostle Paul tells us, God puts the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus into jars of clay -- our own fragile and cracked selves-- to show that the power is from Him and not from us. (2 Cor 4:7)  So we are all 'crack pots', used and damaged by everyday living, but still able to refresh others with the living water of Jesus Christ who came to redeem us all.  There are no 'cookie cutter' Christians, just individuals who have been saved from their sins, fight with their sinful nature daily, and sincerely desire to share the message of salvation with others.  So whoever you are -- housewife, soccer mom, punk rocker, student, teacher, businessman, nurse, retiree -- there is someone out there who will identify with your struggles and be encouraged by your uplifting words and message of hope.  I know I have been!

Father God, thank you for using each of us as we are now to encourage and uplift others.  Thank you for continuing to work in our hearts to make us more like your perfect Son, Jesus.  Forgive us for our imperfections and sins daily.  And grant us opportunities to share Your refreshing message of hope with others as we walk in Your ways.  Amen

Comments

[Lorie]

Awww Jenn.. I so love this post and that beautiful picture and saying.. It is so refreshing just as your words are. Thank you for sharing this post. Oh by the way you've been tagged to do a meme go to my blog and look at my meme post. I just did my first one lol.

Hugz My Sistah!!!

[judy]

refreshing just like the first cup of the morning. God bless you, love Judyx